THE FRONTIER AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE HERO IN ULAS SAMCHUK’S NOVEL «WHERE THE RIVER FLOWS»

Abstract

This article explores Ulas Samchuk’s novel «Where the River Flows» as an example of frontier prose, in which space, identity, and moral consciousness of the protagonist are shaped under conditions of transition. The Volyn region in the novel is depicted not only as a geographical location but also as a symbolic boundary between traditional and modern worlds. The analysis traces how the frontier influences the transformation of the protagonist – through linguistic, moral, and spatial conflicts, through relocation, as well as through domestic objects such as the stove, chest, and house, which serve as markers of primary identity. The theme of war is examined as a future frontier that exists in the characters’ consciousness even before it begins. The protagonist, Volodka, is portrayed as a liminal figure – between village and city, childhood and adulthood, languages, values, and social systems. Particular attention is given to his inner frontier: moral choices, identity crisis, and the dissolution of ancestral connection. The study concludes that Samchuk’s novel presents not a static image of a hero but a dynamic process of subject formation within a frontier environment, making the text highly relevant in the context of contemporary literary studies.